Storm
by Jadepiper
Summary: A girl is born with an unusual Gift, and an interesting family heritage. Somewhat AU. Rated for safety
1. Prologue

Prologue

A storm raged on the streets of Haven one cold winter night. Rains fell with angry fury and the wind whipped through the houses and trees. Thunder roared and lightening danced around the skies. It threatened to knock down the ramshackle buildings around Exile's Gate and shook a tiny tavern called The Boar's Head. Tucked away in a little room, a woman moaned as contractions crossed her frail body. The tattered clothes she wore were once made of the finest materials and her delicate, though pain-wracked face was once beautiful. But now, only a midwife who dared to cross the streets to be with her friend and a servant, Sorka, who had heard her cries of pain stood by her while she screamed in pain and the child in her womb demanded to be born.

"Push, Ilene!" she cried over the angry storm. "Just a little harder!" Ilene arched her back and pushed with all her might and a little red head could be seen between her legs.

"It's coming!" Auld Eulima cried. "Sorka, hurry over here and support her." Sorka rushed to take Eulima's place while Eulima made a mad dash to grab a cloth to catch the baby. After what felt like an eternity, a pair of shoulders and then the rest of the child slipped out in a gush of blood. Ilene collapsed on the bed, spent with exhaustion while Eulima tied off the cord and cut it. She then dried the baby and wrapped it in a clean cloth to present it to its mother. But the sight of Ilene, with blood gushing from her womb, made her face turn ashen.

"Sorka!" she cried. "Try to stanch the bleeding!" Sorka grabbed a cloth and jammed it between Ilene's thighs but it was soon soaked through. "Ilene!" Eulima cried. "Don't leave me and your child here alone!"

"My baby," Ilene said weakly, her delicate face as while as snow.

"You have a girl," Eulima said, tears starting to well in her eyes. "A beautiful baby girl."

"Call her…Mairi," Ilene gasped out, so quietly that Eulima had to strain to hear her. "Take care…of her…for me…" Ilene said and fell back. Eulima looked up from he tears and saw Ilene, her beautiful young friend, still in death. She freed one hand from the wailing baby to close Ilene's eyes, and motioned for Sorka to cover her.

"Well, little one," Eulima said to the wailing child in her arms. "I guess I'm to take care of you now. Now let's find you some food. You do have a loud set of lungs, you know. A good healthy, strong baby, y'are."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Mairi smoothed her long skirt and walked through the streets of Haven, looking around her and trying to act invisible. Her pale green eyes lit upon an old, fat man in a fancy chirra-wool coat. Setting her jaw, she walked towards him, the picture of innocence in her modest clothes and combed auburn braid. She seemed to stumble right before him and he caught her before she fell.

"Be careful, little one," he said. She thanked him sweetly, and set off, with a good part of the money from his belt purse and a gold watch and chain. She grinned at the extra weight and whispered beneath her breath, "Gotcha." Once again, her sweet childlike looks and thin, straight body had made her look younger than her fourteen years and too innocent to do any harm. Once he noticed his money was gone, he wouldn't suspect her, not with all those boys running around the streets. Three more times she repeated her heist, until dusk came and she felt much heavier than she had started when she had set out, after lunch. She turned around, and twisted her way towards the place she called home.

Home was a tiny inn called The Boar's Head. She had been born there but her mother died from the bleeding and she had been sent to live with an old midwife called Eulima, who had been one of her mother's closest friends. But Eulima had died when Mairi was six and Sorka, a serving girl in that same inn who had aided Eulima during Mairi's birth, had talked the proprietor, a beefy, unkempt man called Roskyter, into giving Mairi food and board for helping out. But when Sorka had left three years ago, Mairi's jobs of helping in the kitchen and running errands had been added to. Now she was also Roskyter's pet thief. He had noticed her slim hands with their narrow fingers and taught her the trade. Now, he marked out people that had come to his inn and sent her out to steal from them. Sometimes he let her choose and track her own targets but if she didn't bring in more than a certain amount by the time she had to be back to serve supper, he'd flog her hard. What he didn't know was that she was a far more accomplished thief then he knew and had her own tiny hoard stashed away from the excess of her allotment. She planned it so she'd carefully bring in just over her allotment most of the time. That normally got him in a good mood. Once in a while she'd have a "lucky day", and bring him a lot more which made him pleased with her and fed her more, while other days she'd bring home just barely enough. That got him in a fiery temper and she'd have to run hard to escape the blows. It usually led to a hungry night, but she could spare a half copper or so to by a roll and it wouldn't do to look to good and prosperous to him. She'd learned that lesson when she'd first started bringing back larger hoards and he upped the minimum. It wasn't the best system but she knew that there were far worse, and her way she could get money, food, and a place to sleep for only a little work.

Mairi turned down one of the roads in Exile's Gate at a first walk. Her target had taken her further into the better parts of Haven than usual and she would hurry or else she'd be late. As she walked, she carefully slipped a few coppers into tiny pocket of her skirt. She didn't have time to hit her hiding place and couldn't hide too much in her clothes or else she'd clink and Roskyter'd know. _Oh, well. Today could be a lucky day_, she thought with a little sigh. Finally she reached the ramshackle building that called itself The Boar's Head. She ducked around to the back and showed up just as the first customer. Damn, she thought. Roskyter'd be sure to notice.

"Where have you been?" he thundered, attempting to keep his voice low so the customer's wouldn't hear. His face burned red with suppressed rage. His free fist reached out to hit her for her tardiness, but missed as she ducked it and dashed towards the ale barrel in the back room where she stashed what she took. When she got back, he yanked on the ties of her shift so more skin showed and threw her out. No sooner than she reached the door to the common room, the customer raised his mug, and cried, "Ale, wench!" Mairi, feeling like hitting him for treating her so, ducked back in the kitchen and grabbed a barrel of ale. She figured she should be used to the language and the treatment after three years of serving in the outer room since Sorka left. She threw out her hand for the coins, then poured him a mugful. The common room had started to fill. The Boar's Head was popular because it served the cheapest ale and food that wasn't going to make stay in the privy all night like the stuff some of the inns served.

Mairi spent the rest of the evening serving ale, soup, and slices of hard, brown bread, all while getting catcalls by most and hands on legs and chest by some of the more adventurous. The Boar's Head didn't offer whores like some of the other inns, but Roskyter didn't care if you fondled his serving wench a bit. There was one person there who didn't though. He had a scared, hard face and, though he wore a sword, he had the air of one who didn't care if he used it or not if you got in his way. He drank only a single glass of ale and didn't even look at her when she poured it for him. _Weird_, she thought, but marked him because she had a feeling that Roskyter would send her after him.

By midnight, the last customer, a drunken man, had at last sought his bed, which meant she could see her's in an hour or so. She trudged to the kitchen with the last of mugs and looked at the stockpile awaiting her. Roskyter had found out that most customers would pay more for quality, and some of the richer preferred clean mugs flatware. Which basically meant that Mairi had a pile of dishes waiting to be scoured with sand and rinsed with rainwater before she could go to sleep. She grimaced and started on them


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

A kick in the gut, hard enough to bruise, and the command, "Up, girl!" woke Mairi the next morning. It was barely false dawn and Mairi had only sought her bed, a pile of rags and straw under the stairs, about four hours earlier. She blinked the dregs of sleep out of her eyes as the foot was drawing back to kick her again. She scrambled to a sitting position, and the foot turned to walk away. Mairi pulled on her skirt and petticoat, having slept in her shift. She tied a scrap piece of cloth over her falling out braid and checked the pocket with money while she sprinted the few steps to the kitchen. It was still there. Roskyter shoved tinder and a bucket into her arms and turned away to start preparing the thin, lumpy porridge and the last of last night's bread he called "breakfast". She hurriedly started a fire in the fireplace, before dashing out the door to the well for water. He had been drinking the night before and was not in a good mood. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of his bad temper any more than she had to.

Breakfast had started cooking by the time she got back. There were a few early morning workers in there for a cheap bite to eat before going out to their jobs. He threw plates of porridge and bread to her as she entered the door. Mairi took them and went to get payment and feed the customers. There were maybe a dozen or two people in there, and most of them were too tired to pay anymore attention to her than as the means by which they got their food. For that reason alone, she preferred the breakfast crowd over the evening crowd. By the second hour after dawn, they had all gone and Mairi was done with the few dishes. Roskyter threw her the piece of bread that was her breakfast while he talked. Now that she no longer had lessons at the temple, he could have her work the entire day, and made her bring back more because of it. _Lucky me_, she thought to herself. _A whole day of thieving for him_.

"Now, didya notice that fellow here last night? The one with the scars and the sword?" Roskyter asked, and watched her carefully as she nodded an affirmative. "He only comes here sometimes and sometimes he goes out and you only see him sometimes during the day. Watch for him, and nab him the next time you see him. He's some sorta sell-sword and that says money. Other than that, pick and choose. I saw that haul you brought in last night. Not bad. Try for that today iffen you can." Mairi nodded again, and prepared to leave. "Fix that hair of yours," he called. "Can't have you looking like a beggar around them gentry. Oh, and here's a little something for the road," he said and tossed another, generous hunk of bread smeared with a little grease at her. Mairi caught it, and smiled. It was obviously meant as a reward for last night. She ducked back under the stairs, tore off the cloth, straightened her braid, and left for the day. She stopped once at her hiding place and then headed out into the better parts of Haven.

About late afternoon and a couple of nice heists later, she turned back. Mairi meant to visit her place before having a look around for that sell-sword. He frequented some of the nearby taverns some nights and she thought to find him there. Just as she was readying to give it up and go after some other prey in her last hour or so, she saw him duck into the Companion's Bell, one of the nicer eating places in the neighborhood. She debated between going after him and returning to Roskyter, and decided to watch a bit. In a seemingly short while, he came out again. She tracked him down a street and waited for a crowd of people. One came and she slipped in and reached for his belt pouch strings. A hard hand locked onto hers and a harsh voice said, "Touch that, you should not." She wiggle away but the man had a grip like iron and only tightened it. By now, she was sure that he would break her hand to teach her a lesson, but he only yanked her aside to a wall and shoved her into it, knocking the breath from her lungs. A claw gripped her chin and the voice said, "Repeat myself, I…" as the hand drew he face up to meet his own, but then he stopped. She was looking in the hard scarred face and it looked… startled? _Why would he be startled?_ She thought. _Is it that I'm a girl?_ He started cursing in some foreign tongue and said, "Jeri? Be here, why?"

Mairi figured he had thought her to be someone else and noticed his grip slackening. She figured it would be a good time to slip away, but he was faster. He closed her hand in an iron fist, and dragged her back towards the Bell. The temple clock struck five, and Mairi knew that Roskyter would not be pleased by the time she got back and that she was in for another beating, on top of whatever this fellow would give her. She thought he might be taking her to gaol and thought wistfully of Roskyter and the beating she was sure to get. It wouldn't be too hard for she made and saved him a lot of money, and she'd get over the aches soon enough. She had no clue what gaol would bring her and the stories she'd heard of it made her more scared than ever before, even more than the time when a very drunk Roskyter had tried to rape her. She had fought that off with a pan to his head and he didn't even remember the next morning. Mairi kind of doubted that she would find such a handy weapon with in a cell full of prisoners who were at least partially insane and probably lustful after going so long without a girl. Their keeper probably wouldn't care what happened to her for she was a lawbreaker just the same as them. Her fear grew so much that she didn't even realize when it started to pour. She did, however noticed the lightening that hit the tree just as they passed under it. The weird thing was that it was a small tree and wasn't lightening supposed to hit big things?

She'd thought that they'd pass the Bell but her captor stopped there and threw her onto the back of a white horse, who looked at her mournfully with very blue eyes. _Wait a minute? _She thought_. A white horse with blue eyes? I tried to rob a Herald? They won't even bother with a judge or gaol-I'll go straight to the noose!_ Her mind shrieked is fear now, just as another lightening bolt hit perilously close to them and thunder rolled around them, as the horse,-_Companion_- ran through the stormy night. It hardly shied when lightening struck close to them, and Mairi blissfully passed out.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Mairi woke in a dimly-lit, pale green room with a headache pounding at her temples and ribs sore from Roskyter's kick. A slightly disoriented face looked down on her, and as her vision cleared she saw a woman, her brown hair going slightly gray, hovering over her and pressing a cup to her lips. As she drank the warm liquid, the pounding in her temples shrank until she could barely feel it.

"Better?" the woman asked. Mairi started to nod, but only managed a slight inclination of her head before the hammering at her temples threatened to start again. The woman smiled, and turned away. "Okay, she's awake and you can talk to her now," she said, apparently to no one at all. But a shadow detached itself from the wall and suddenly and hard, scarred face looked down on her. "Your hand in my pocket, why again?" Suddenly the events of what happened before crowded into her mind and she was sure that she would hang for trying to steal from a Herald. Her mind cried her fear and she tried desperately to get away. She saw a window and pressed towards it, hoping dreadfully to get away, but he caught her again and grabbed her as she beat her hands upon him in an attempt to get away. "Don't kill me, please!" she cried, hardly realizing she was speaking. "Not again, never again!" Outside, lightening struck a tree as the storm came back, in full fury. She cried out to it to help her, strike her even if it got her way from this hard Herald. But suddenly a peaceful light filled her mind, chasing away her fears and dimly she heard a trumpeting neigh. Automatically, she turned towards the sound and looked into blue pools of complete love. A voice, like the light that had chased away the shadows and fears, filled her mind and said:I Choose you, Mairi. I am Aranya and I love you and I will never leave you.: An outpouring of love so complete filled Mairi up and she bathed and floated in the rich softness of it. Through it she barely heard, "Well. Something not expected, that was." And Mairi gave herself up to the bliss that was enfolding her. :Chosen: the voice in her mind said, tinged slightly with regret. :It's time to return.:

When Mairi came to, she was leaning against the soft white coat of her Companion. _My Companion? Wow, talk about a life turned upside-down. First, I think they're going to hang me and then a Companion Chooses me. They don't hurt people with Companions, do they? _:Chosen: a pure voice said. :They will not hurt you now. They are Heralds, just like you will be soon. They don't hurt people: Mairi puzzled over the voice in her head. :It is me, Aranya, your Companion. Just think what you want to tell me and I will answer..: _Okay,_ thought Mairi. She thought hard at Aranya:Like this:Ouch, not so hard. There is no need to shout. Think normally and I will answer. I will always hear you. Now, there are some people wanting to talk to you. The one who caught you is called Herald Alberich, and the other is Healer Seba.:

"Well," said the one with the scarred face who was called Alberich. "Not expecting this, I was. Changes things, this does. Your name Mairi is, your Companion says. Says also frightened you are of me. Sorry, I am. Hurt you not, I promise." He paused and turned to the Healer. "Ready to go, is she?"

The Healer, Seba, gave Mairi a piercing look, and Mairi felt as though she was under intense scrutiny. The Healer had opened her mouth to say something when another Healer whose lack of beard made him seem young, rushed in, his green robes flying behind him. "What was that?" he gasped. "Gods, that fear, it just made my head ache." He looked around, then saw the Companion sitting at Mairi's side. "A Companion? What in Windrider's name happened here?"

Healer Seba took the other Healer aside and whispered a few sentences into his ear, while the hard Alberich gazed at Mairi and Aranya. :Who is he: She asked Aranya. :He is Devan, a MindHealer. He felt your fear. You Projected it far, before I came in:I'm sorry, I didn't mean it.: Mairi said, amazed and regretful that she was able to hurt this man with just her emotions. :Don't worry, Chosen. He is there to help people deal with mind trouble. Talk to him if need be.:

Healer Seba and Healer Devan had stopped their whispered conversation, and Healer Seba beckoned to Alberich. They left the room, leaving Mairi with the strange Devan. He looked at her gently. "So you're at the center of this, little one? I see that, thanks to your Companion you are alright now, but why were you so afraid before?"

Mairi remembered what Aranya had said and took a deep breath. "I thought they were going to hang me," she said, her soft voice barely above a whisper as Devan strained to hear. "I tried to steal Herald Alberich's belt-purse, and he caught me. I was sure he was going to beat me or throw me in gaol. I've heard stories about gaol, terrible stories. Then he called me something and seemed distracted so I tried to get away, but he grabbed me and took me with him. Then I saw his Companion, and I thought certainly they would hang me for stealing from a Herald. Then the storm started and I think I blacked out. I woke here, and he was standing near me and asked me why I had my hand in his purse. I got so scared and tried to escape, but then a light came and chased away my fears and Aranya Chose me." Mairi turned her head into Aranya's coat and started to weep great silent tears. :Hush, Chosen. It's alright. He won't turn you in or do anything to you.:

"Well," Devan said. "It's okay. What you did before has no meaning now. I'm not going to take you away, and nobody cares that you were a thief. I think you should meet Skif." Mairi looked at the Healer curiously. She felt a little more reassured after he had told her the same thing that Aranya did. "Skif is a Herald-Trainee here. I'll let him tell you his story himself." He turned and opened the door and beckoned to Alberich and Healer Seba. "She's okay. I told her that she should meet Skif. He'd be the best person to convince her that nobody's going to haul her off to gaol for sticking her hand in a couple of people's purses. But get her trained. I don't like all that Projection, and if she's starting to show this early, I would definitely do something about it. You can take her to your Dean now, and get her settled in."

Mairi had lost what the Healer had said after about the third sentence, but she got that the Herald was going to take her somewhere and it was only Aranya's presence and reassurance that kept her from fearing him. Having just now realized that she wore only her shift, she looked around to see her skirt lying across a chair and she pulled it on, not wanting to let up her touch on Aranya for even that one, brief second. Afterwards, she followed the Herald out the door, with Aranya walking beside her.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"The House of Healing, this is. Attached to the Healer's Collegium, it is, here on the Palace grounds," Herald Alberich said as he walked. Mairi gave a start, as she realized that she, a lowly, orphaned, thieving bastard, was on the Palace grounds. :None of that: chided Aranya in her head. :You shouldn't think like that here. Nobody cares about who you were before you came here. All that matters is that you're a Herald-Trainee now.:But why do they trust me: thought Mairi, amazed at the knowledge that they let a thief wander on Palace grounds and didn't care. :Because you're with me.: Aranya said simply. :Companions don't Choose bad people. Everybody knows that.:

Mairi puzzled a while over this before she realized Herald Alberich was starting to talk again. "The Bardic Collegium, over there is. Herald's Collegium just after, is. Take you to see the Dean of this, I do." Mairi felt apprehensive. _A dean? What'll he think of me?_ :Chosen, Elcarth is one of the nicest Heralds and he's seen Trainees from so many different places and backgrounds that you won't be anything of a surprise.: Aranya stated, a little annoyed with her Chosen's surety that people would hate her because of what she was. So annoyed that, unbeknown to Mairi, she sent out a mind call to Cymry, the Companion to Skif. Minutes later, a figure dressed all in pale gray came running up to them.

"Alberich," he gasped. "Cymry got a message…Hullo, who's this?" He stared at Mairi, a look of good-natured inquisitiveness on his face. "Gods, she looks…"

Alberich interrupted him mid-sentence. "Mairi, this is, a newly-Chosen. Mairi, Skif, this is. Good, this meeting is. Talk, you should. Have things in common, you do. Skif, leave her to you, I do. Meet the Dean, she must. Classes to teach, have I." He turned away, leaving the two of them alone. They looked at each other for a minute or two.

"Hullo," Skif said finally. "So, you're a new-Trainee? Where are you from?"

Mairi looked at her feet and whispered, "Near Exile's Gate."

"Me, too!" said Skif. Mairi's eyes flew up. There was another of her kind here? "I worked for my uncle Londer for a couple of years, then set off and joined a thief gang. They trained me in the liftin' lay and roof work. Then I saw this white horse that wasn't secure and I thought to steal her. Turned out she was Cymry, a Companion, and she had decided to Choose me. How 'bout you?"

"I worked for a guy called Roskyter for about eight years. First, I just ran errands and the like, but later, I worked in the common room. 'Bout half way through, he trained me to be his pet thief. I didn't do roof work, just was a common pickpocket with a sweet face that nobody ever thought was the cause of their missing valuables. Tried to lift Herald Alberich's purse. He caught me and I thought he was going to throw me in gaol. Later, when I found he was a Herald I was sure that I was going to the noose. That was the night of the storm. I passed out, and woke at the Healer's. He was there and I still thought he was going to hurt me, so I tried to escape. He caught me, and then Aranya came in and Chose me." She raised her eyes to look at Skif after her little litany.

"Nice," was all that he said. "Guess Alberich was right. We are alike. Hunh." They were fast approaching a large building, built entirely of stone. "Well," Skif said. "Here we are. The Herald's Collegium. Home for you for the next few years."

"Is it all the Collegium?" Mairi asked, astonished that such a large building would be dedicated to learning place for Heralds.

"Nah," answered Skif. "Most of it's the Palace, and some are the Heralds living quarters." He seemed so casual and nonchalant about it that Mairi was shocked. _The Palace? _She thought_. Me at the Palace? _:Chosen: Aranya said timidly. :I have to leave now. I cannot go inside with you.: Mairi was at first a little nervous about entering such a large place with so many strangers, but the outburst of love that Aranya sent through their link was enough for her to let go her clutch on Aranya's mane and let her leave as she entered with Skif.

Mairi immediately noticed the rush of people, many of whom gave her curious glances. She was apprehensive and more than a little frightened. This was nothing like her old neighborhood, where everyone was just too busy minding their own business to pay attention to anyone else. But Skif steered her through the crowd eventually leading her through a door into a cramped office. At first, it appeared as though no one was there.

"Herald Elcarth?" Skif called out. They heard the faint echo of a crash from somewhere inside.

"Just a minute!" a friendly-sounding, male voice called back. Moments later, a small, bird-like man appeared from inside what resembled a very messy storage closet. He had his arms full with scrolls and pieces of parchment. He looked at Mairi closely, and Mairi immediately felt herself being scrutinized carefully. "You are Mairi, my Companion says. Newly Chosen by Aranya. Hmm…" he said, dropping the scrolls on his cluttered desk. "Skif, you may go, for now at least," he said, a polite dismissal. Skif winked at Mairi on his way out the door, and Mairi allowed herself to relax just slightly.

Herald Elcarth beckoned Mairi to take a seat in an ancient leather armchair.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Welcome to the Collegium. I am Herald Elcarth, Dean of the Collegium, as that scamp may or may not have told you. It is my duty to oversee all the newly Chosen. I must admit I was surprised to find out that another thief was Chosen so quickly after the first, but who am I to judge a Companion's Choice. Aranya Chose you and so you are to become a Herald. But I need to know where to place you in classes and such forth. Who are you?" He folded his hands on his desk and smiled at her, a friendly open smile that invited her to be his friend and confide in him.

Mairi smiled tentatively back, but years of street life had taught her to not trust anyone immediately and completely. But she gave him some of what he wanted. "My name is Mairi, daughter of Ilene. I am fourteen years old. I used to live at the Boar's Head, which is a tavern in Haven near Exile's Gate. I worked for Roskyter, the innkeeper. My mother died giving birth to me, and I was raised by Eulima, a midwife and one of my mother's friends. She taught me reading and writing, how to talk right, and some figuring. I learned more later, at a Temple school. She died when I was six, and then I went to the Boar's Head, where I was born in one of the rooms. A serving girl spoke to Roskyter for me. She was there for my birth. He trained me as a pickpocket. I dunno much roof work, and I always worked alone. Alberich found me when I tried to lift his purse." She stopped there, and he did not press her for more.

He looked at her for a moment and changed the topic, quizzing her on her scholarship. He asked question after question and soon found her what she already knew- her academics were easily at a level with the others her age especially history and geography which she loved, she knew little of comportment except her "please-and-thank-yous", nothing of riding or of court life, and the little weaponry she knew was crude knife-fighting and common maneuvers from drunken men who tried to grab her. Elcarth rather expected most of it, having dealt with Skif two years before. He let her go, calling Skif to come show her about. He'd work as her mentor in the immediacy, but soon he'd have to find a female, and talk to her before introducing them. He decided she'd be best off with Aderyn, a bird-like girl in her last year with a joy and exuberance for life. Mairi and her insecurities would be a perfect match with this happy eighteen year-old. Now the only problem left was what to do when Mairi and Jeri meet. It would be a shock to them both.

Skif took Mairi around, leading her on a tour of the Collegium and introducing various people along the way. She meet Trainees and Blues, spent time with Aranya, and was shown the classrooms, the salle, and what seemed to be Skif's favorite spot, the kitchen. Here they got a little something to eat to hold them both over until supper, and then Skif led her to the library, leaving her there so he could get his chores done.

Mairi stared in shock at the library, the overwhelming feelings of being around so many people leaving her and she took in a sight wonderful to behold. She quickly worked out the categorizing system and spent a rapturous candlemark engrossed in a history of Sunsinger and Shadowdancer, tucked away in a tiny cubicle. However enraptured she was, she didn't fail to miss the soft tread of footsteps coming closer and the voice that range cheerfully out, "Well, hello there." Mairi turned to gaze upon a tall, slender girl with bright blue eyes and a halo of fluffy blond hair framing her circular face. "I'm Aderyn, Chosen of Ritiah. Skif said I'd find you up here. I'm to show you around, at least everywhere you haven't been and Skif can't bring you. Hope you're not too interested in that book, that you can't put it down 'cause Elcarth wants you geared up by supper." Mairi shook her head slowly and moved to put the book back on the shelf she got it from, feeling slightly overwhelmed by this Aderyn for she had never met someone quite as exuberant. But she shook the feeling off with the internal assurance that Heralds, even Trainees, just couldn't be "bad people". It just wasn't done. She trailed Aderyn out of the library.

Aderyn led the way down the long hallways, talking animatedly the entire time. Mairi couldn't catch and didn't understand most of it, but it seemed to be mostly the latest gossip and events in the Collegium. She recognized the hallways as leading towards the main areas, and wondered exactly where they were going. Aderyn said that she needed to be "geared up" and she assumed that meant she needed a uniform like all the others were wearing. They took many stairs, since the library was on the top floor and they seemed to be heading towards the basement. Mairi's suspicions were correct when they reached the main floor and kept going downwards. They reached the end of the stairs and Aderyn reached back and propelled her through the door at the bottom of the stairs.

They entered a whitewashed room that held only a desk and a middle-aged woman behind it. The woman gave her a penetrating look and she cringed back towards the door, but Aderyn was in the way of her escape.

"This is Gaytha," Aderyn said gently, prodding her forward again. "She's the Housekeeper. She'll fit you for uniforms." Mairi swallowed, and moved towards the desk as Gaytha beckoned with a crooked finger.

"You're too tall for a ten and too skinny for a twelve. We might have to do a little tailoring to get to fit right, at least until you've put a little meat on those bones of yours." She disappeared into a side door, returning with a pile of silvery-gray clothing, neatly folded. These she passed to Aderyn, who took them expectantly. "There's uniforms, now let me see your feet. Just prop your foot up right here on my desk, there's a girl." Mairi placed her dirty, bare foot on the desk, embarrassed by her shoeless state. She wore a pair of tattered sandals in the winter, with thick socks, but Roskyter put those away during the summer. Her skirt was long enough that her bare feet went unnoticed in the better parts of Haven. Gaytha tsked. "Well, looks like you could use some shoes. Give them up for the summer, hmm? You were lucky you didn't cut yourself and get an infection. Aderyn, put those down on the desk and measure her for some boots while I get some temporaries." She disappeared into the side room again, while Aderyn took some tracings of Mairi's feet, while Mairi stood there, feeling very embarrassed at her dirty feet, but Aderyn portrayed no sign of disgust at touching them, so she felt a little better. Aderyn finished just as Gaytha came back carrying a lumpy bag.

"Put those on the desk, Aderyn, and Mairi, take this. Now, we wash _thoroughly_ before every meal, with a full bath at night. If you get sweaty or dirty at arms practice or with your Companion, you wash up and change your uniform then too. If you don't measure up, it's back to the bathing room with you and you get whatever's left over when you get back. Now, do you have any experience with household chores?" Gaytha crossed her arms over her chest and leveled a gaze at Mairi that warned her better than any words that cleanliness was to be taken seriously. It didn't come to much of a surprise to Mairi- if thieves couldn't be slovenly, then Heralds most definitely couldn't.

"I can patch some, but not very well, and I can clean. I worked in an inn before, and I mostly served meals and cleaned up afterwards," Mairi said timidly, hoping to not seem too inadequate in Gaytha's and Aderyn's eyes.

"Then I'll put you down for dishwashing and hmm… Early riser or do you prefer to sleep in?" Gaytha asked, a speculative look on her face.

"Early riser," was the quick reply. Whether she started out one or not, she had to while working for Roskyter, if she didn't want a kick in the ribs to start out every morning. Besides, the mornings were nice. There wasn't anyone else around generally.

"Server then, for the morning meal, and dishwashing after luncheon. That leaves you plenty of time to have free and do your classwork. Also, remember to tidy up your room, which is to be done every morning without fail unless you're too ill to move. Here's your schedule. If it's too hard to fit in with you classwork, come back to me and we'll tidy it up for you." A dismissal, both Mairi and Aderyn realized and left through the same door they entered, Aderyn carrying the uniforms and Mairi, her new and potentially uncomfortable shoes.

Aderyn led the way upstairs again, this time to the second floor. They went down a long hallway covered with doors all down one side. "This is the girl's side. On the other side of that wall is the common room, where we all have meals, and on the other side of that is the boy's side. We all eat together, but generally the boys aren't allowed here and we aren't allowed over there. The middle door along this wall, the bigger one with the blue frame, is the bathing room, where we go to clean up." Aderyn kept talking until the end of the hall and she chose a door at the very end. In a small holder on the door, was a card with Mairi's name on it. "Here's your room. You're a lucky one alright, with a corner room. Now I'm three doors down if you have any problems or questions, or just if you want to sit down and chat for a while. Let's put your stuff away…" she trailed off, silent for once as she saw the incredulous expression on Mairi's face. She realized belatedly that the girl had probably never had room to call her own. She poked a finger into Mairi's back, pushing her into the room. "Let's put your stuff away and then you can get cleaned up for supper, which is very soon, but you should have time to take a full bath if you want and you hurry." She placed the pile in the wardrobe, grabbing a uniform from it before closing the door. Mairi placed the bag in the wardrobe as well and followed Aderyn back into the hall and through the bathing door.

There, Aderyn showed her where all the towels and things were kept, and helped her draw a bath with the unusual system that had Mairi baffled. She left to take care of a few things of her own, while Mairi took the best and hottest bath she'd ever had in her Finally, when Aderyn came back, she was clean and arrayed in the new uniform, which felt strange and free after her accustomed skirt. Aderyn sent her back for shoes, which Mairi pulled on reluctantly. When the bell rang, she was ready and trailed Aderyn into the common room.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I've just realized that I've completely forgotten about these little things. I hope I don't get sued or anything. Nothing in here, except that plot and a few characters belongs to me. Everything else, unfortunately, doesn't. It's all Misty's.

Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers. You've been great. I know that this is a little slow going and I'm terrible about updating, but hey, I'm busy. The plot'll speed up soon, I promise. Don't get too bored, and if you are, read some of my other stuff. To Seer Vixen, Alberich may not be small or green, but he's definitely a fighting machine. He's also strict with his students, but rather soft-hearted like Yoda. They also have the same problem with syntax. So what if Alberich's accent sounds like Yoda? Besides, a lot of the time, he was rather hurried and most people fall back into their native grammatical structures when they're hurried or nervous. And this is slightly after Talia (she's still a student) and he talked that way sometimes around her. However, I appreciate the review and the constructive criticism. I'm sorry if it bothers you.

Chapter Six

The common room was not what Mairi had expected. She had expected something like the Boar's Head, all loud raucous noise and flailing men. What she found was something completely different and entirely friendly. There was noise, but it was the noise of youngsters, of children. It was an ordered chaos, and a sea of gray, interspersed here and there with small groups of white. Long wooden tables and benches crossed the wooden floor in an orderly manner and students- no, _Trainees_, she reminded herself- were seated everywhere, all pushing and shoving good-naturedness. Aderyn, who had stopped when Mairi did, put two hands on Mairi's back and gently shoved her into the door. She propelled her through the sea of tables and oceans of people to a table in the corner, where eyes turned to meet them.

"This is Mairi," Aderyn said. "Chosen of Aranya, aged fourteen. Mairi, these are Shania, Ciara, Elaric, Flauvius, Arun, and Danaë." She pointed to each of them in turn as she named them, shoved some of them to one side, and climbed in-between, pulling Mairi down with her. The conversations immediately started up again, and Aderyn raced into them, headlong, giving Mairi a chance to contemplate her surroundings. She found herself sandwiched between Aderyn and Danaë, a tall quiet girl with long black hair and green eyes in an oval, cheerful face with a mouth that was permanently turned up at the edges. She only exchanged quiet pleasantries with Mairi over the course of the meal, which consisted of small rounds of bread, tender meat, and cooked greens. It was easily the best meal Mairi had ever tasted, and she enjoyed it tremendously though she didn't eat herself full. No thief ever filled up on food for that made one drowsy and less alert. And even though Mairi was in a safe place, she couldn't afford to be anything less than completely alert.

After supper, Mairi tried to sneak away, thinking that Aderyn had better things to do than escort her around. But Aderyn caught her as she was getting up and led her away, down the long hallways and outside. The evening air was fresh and felt good to Mairi after breathing the recycled air in the common room.

"Now," Aderyn said. "I have a little coursework to do, but I figured you might want to see your Companion. Actually, it gives me a chance to spend a little time with mine too. So I'm taking you to a little corner of the Companion's field. It's actually quite close by, so you shouldn't have trouble getting back. Until you know the place better, just go back the way you came. If you got lost, your Companion'll let my Companion know and Ritiah will tell me and I'll come get you. Don't hesitate, it's what I'm here for. Look," she said suddenly, pointing across the river. Two white Companions were racing across the field at them and the two girls hurried across the bridge to meet them. Even at this distance, Mairi could tell which Companion Aranya was from the two mares. She was slighter than Aderyn's Ritiah, but her lines were built with so much swiftness that Mairi was sure that, unladen, she could outrace the wind with her flowing white tail streaming behind her.

: Wow: Aranya's voice said, silkily smooth in her mind. :So many compliments all at once. Keep it up and I might become vain. But: she said indignantly:I can go just as fast with you on my back for you are my Chosen and I will bear you anywhere. Hop up, and I'll show you.: Mairi considered it shortly and then realized a very important thing- she couldn't ride. She explained that abashedly to Aranya. :Any fool can ride: was Aranya's retort. :And you have me. Up you go, not a moment to waste. I'll take it slow, but soon Keren will have you riding like you were born in the saddle.: Mairi looked around and noticed that Aderyn had left, probably while she was talking to Aranya. _Well, there's no one to see me fall_, she thought very privately. Aranya led her over to a large stump where she was instructed to mount up. With very many tries, Mairi was finally able to sit on Aranya's back where she was instructed to grab with her knees and hold a bit of Aranya's mane to hang on and Mairi spent a blissful and brilliant time on Aranya's back, having Aranya teach her how to ride, never knowing that Aranya was having choice words with one Dantris, the Companion of Keren, the riding instructor.

At Aranya's suggestion, Mairi slid off shortly. Aranya told her that she didn't have riding muscles yet and if she didn't get off now, she'd be sore in the morning. Mairi knew the suggestion as a good one and spent the rest of the time walking next to Aranya and exploring the Companion's Field. After a good hour or so, Aranya told her it was probably time to go and get some sleep, for tomorrow would be a big day. Besides, she had to wash up before bed, didn't she? Mairi agreed reluctantly, knowing that she had to go and looking forward to another hot bath, but completely not wanting to leave the side of her beloved Companion. She realized that Aranya had brought her back to where they had met and she embraced the Companion before setting off in the direction she came.

The washroom, when she reached it, was relatively empty so she figured she must either be early or late. Either way, she enjoyed having the room all to herself and sank blissfully into her second hot bath of the day, washing herself down with mint scented soap and drying off with a warm, soft towel. She sent her uniform down a chute like Aderyn had told her, slipped into her new dressing gown, gathered up her things, and went padding down the hallway. There were lights coming out the bottom of some of the rooms, so she figured it must not be too late. As she walked towards her own room, a luxury that se never thought she'd have, Aderyn looked into the hall from her room, gave her a smile, and wished her a quiet good night. Mairi slowly smiled back, and ducked into her own room. She put her things away, and crept into the soft warm bed. Alternatively curling up and stretching out to fully enjoy the first real bed of her life, she fell sound asleep.


End file.
